UofL School of Medicine to Host IMPROV FOR CLINICIANS Clinic with The Second City

Students at the University of Louisville School of Medicine will have the chance to put their improvisation skills to the test on Nov. 9 when famed comedy troupe The Second City puts on its "Improv for Clinicians" workshop.

The event will be hosted by The Kentucky Center for the Arts, who will also welcome The Second City for a comedy show at the Bomhard Theater the following night.

"Improv for Clinicians" is meant to mirror the clinical experience that students, residents and faculty experience at the UofL School of Medicine, but with an entertaining and humorous twist. Within the workshop, members of the School of Medicine will interact with The Second City performers, who will offer lessons on honing improv skills and how clinicians can use these skills to enhance their caregiving, with an emphasis on compassion.

The Kentucky Center is collaborating with the School of Medicine to host this event as part of the school's Being Well Initiative, which was introduced in March of this year and is sponsored by School of Medicine Dean Dr. Toni Ganzel, and Vice Dean for Research Dr. Jon Klein. This initiative, which emphasizes health, resilience and compassion for students, faculty, residents and staff to avoid burnout, utilizes events like this to introduce both fun and mindfulness into the learning and caregiving environment in order to alleviate depersonalization, stress and loss of empathy.

Based in Chicago, The Second City is one of the most illustrious comedy clubs in the world, and has launched the careers of some of comedy's brightest stars, including John Belushi, Tina Fey, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert and many more. "Improv for Clinicians" is an example of the many special workshops the troupe conducts across the country, in order to demonstrate the power of improv in all areas of life, not just comedy.

The mission of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is to lead and enrich the artistic, educational and economic vitality of the region by providing unparalleled programming and cultural events. As an integral member of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage cabinet, The Center, along with the other agencies, seek to preserve and promote the history, heritage and arts of the Commonwealth.

In 2017, the University of Louisville celebrates 180 years of excellence in medical education, patient care, biomedical research and service to the community. The school is a part of the UofL Health Sciences Center, the city's only academic health center where approximately 1,000 faculty members are involved in education, research, clinical care and community engagement. The UofL HSC is home to more than 650 medical and dental residents, 3,000 students pursuing degrees in health-related fields within the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Public Health and Information Sciences, and 14 interdisciplinary centers and institutes. Approximately $140 million in extramural funding enables researchers to uncover the causes of disease and better ways to prevent, treat and cure those diseases. Patients are cared for by University of Louisville Physicians and are seen at the Ambulatory Care Building, the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the UofL Physicians Outpatient Center and University of Louisville Hospital, which is the primary adult teaching hospital for the School of Medicine and the only Level I adult trauma center in the region.

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